Are my chickens stupid?? Seriously I need help here

[Whoops]

I just had to put mine up for a few nights and then they started having the "chicken of the corn" moment in the evening and marched toward the coop as the sun set.

 

[jerseyfarmgirl]

Good Morning and Happy Thanksgiving to All,
I am reading this thread and thinking wow I have asked the same question about our chickens--are they stupid? Our chickens have two runs that they have access to all day long --after the sun comes up --they are put to "bed at night with a light on for about 1/2 hour (great idea!) When it rains, one would think that they would go back inside so as not to get wet. Not our birds!! They will actually sit out in the rain, play in the rain, eat in the rain, etc. Is this normal?? And just how does one go about getting them dry? we have tried closing them in during the rainy days and oh my what a ruckus they make--to the point that it sounds like a mass murder is happening. And yes they have food and water inside. Any ideas on drying a wet bird?

 

[24279102]

I think all the things we do are really for us and not the chickens. Like the old saying " I have to put on a sweater because my Mother is cold" !! I have a night light in my coop on a timer and I find that helps some at bedtime. But the first few days we had them we had to physically make sure that everyone was where they were supposed to be. Now they all go up at the first sign of darkness and start the "where am I going to sleep tonight" shenanigans ! My girls don't like heavy downpours but light rain does not bother them it seems. And I don't worry about drying them off and they get along okay. In my opinion they are smarter than us as they have us at their beck and call.

 

[Newchickenguy]

Well thanks for all the replies. I just went outside and looked inside the coop. Thankfully all chickens made it though the night. Everyone is accounted for. Going to leave them in there for at least 4 more days I think so they get the idea. Then I am going to take the trash can out of the run so they have nothing to perch on. These chickens are just going to have to get used to being inside a coop for a while. I refuse to let them die.